Vol. 103, No. 21, November 21, 1986. 8 pages. View this issue
The Pacific Citizen devoted most of its November 21, 1986 front page and several inside pages to Minoru Yasui, who died of cancer on Nov. 12 at age 70. Robert Shimabukuro reported on the Denver memorial service, wrote a biography that follows Yasui from Hood River, Oregon, through his curfew test case and his time at Minidoka, and covered his coram nobis case, which Peggy Nagae said would continue. Grayce Uyehara and Harry Kajihara added their own tributes.
Elsewhere in the issue: the Supreme Court agreed to hear the government’s appeal in the NCJAR redress suit, and a monument to Nikkei veterans was dedicated in Little Tokyo. The paper also reported on the attack on California Secretary of State March Fong Eu, election results for Asian American candidates, and a JACL cash flow deficit.
What’s in this issue
Incarceration & Redress
- Min Yasui Dies at 70; Services Held in Denver, by Robert Shimabukuro, page 1. Minoru Yasui, the retired attorney and civil rights activist who violated a WW2 military curfew to challenge its constitutionality, died of cancer at age 70 in Denver. Over 200 people attended his memorial service, remembering his lifelong fight for justice despite his 1942 conviction being upheld by the Supreme Court.
- Coram Nobis Attorney Says Yasui Appeal Will Continue, by Robert Shimabukuro, page 1. Peggy Nagae, lead attorney for Minoru Yasui’s coram nobis case, stated that the legal action would continue following Yasui’s death, as he had wanted. The case, pending in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, alleges the government committed fraud upon the Supreme Court by suppressing evidence in Yasui’s 1943 test case.
- Min Yasui: A Lifetime of Fighting for Justice, by Robert Shimabukuro, page 5. A detailed biography traces Minoru Yasui’s life from his birth in Hood River, Oregon, through his education, his work at the Japanese consulate in Chicago, and his deliberate violation of the WW2 curfew order to test its constitutionality. The article includes tributes from friends and colleagues describing his character and legal career.
- Yasui: Fight for Justice (Continued), by Robert Shimabukuro, page 6. This continuation details Yasui’s arrest for curfew violation, his nine months in Multnomah County jail, and his subsequent confinement at Minidoka camp where he helped women whose husbands were interned. It also covers his fight to be admitted to the Colorado Bar despite his criminal conviction.
- Yasui: Fight for Justice (Continued from Page 6), by Robert Shimabukuro, page 7. The article continues detailing Yasui’s legal career in Denver, his 16-year tenure as executive director of Denver’s Commission on Community Relations, and his leadership roles in JACL redress efforts beginning in 1979. It includes tributes describing him as a folk hero and role model for young lawyers.
- Yasui: Services Held (Continued from Front Page), page 8. The memorial service for Minoru Yasui included tributes from Denver community leaders and Representatives Norman Mineta and Robert Matsui, who spoke of his lifelong commitment to justice and civil rights. Family member Lise Yasui spoke on behalf of the family, vowing to continue his fight for human rights.
National
- Eu Injured by Burglar; Reward Being Offered, by Lynn Sakamoto-Chung and J.K. Yamamoto, page 1. California Secretary of State March Fong Eu was attacked and robbed by a burglar in her Hancock Park home, prompting the Chinese American Citizens Alliance to raise over $6,000 in reward money for information leading to an arrest. Eu was released from the hospital and spoke to the press about her recovery and the incident.
- Supreme Court Will Hear Arguments on NCJAR Suit, page 1. The Supreme Court agreed to hear the government’s appeal against a lawsuit filed by the National Council for Japanese American Redress seeking over $24 billion in damages for WW2 internment. An appeals court had previously restored one claim while eliminating 21 others, and both NCJAR and JACL hope the Court will also consider the dismissed constitutional claims.
- Asian Candidates Victorious in Washington, Texas Races, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 1. Three Washington incumbents, including Art Wang and Gary Locke, won reelection easily, while George Iseri lost his mayoral bid in Ontario, Oregon. In Texas, Hannah Chow became the first Asian American elected to a county-level office, winning a Harris County Criminal Court judgeship.
- MIT Professor Gets Japan Physics Prize, page 2. MIT Professor Toyoichi Tanaka was awarded the Nishina Memorial Prize, one of the highest honors in Japanese physics, for his contributions to the field. He was recognized for discovering a phase transition and critical phenomena in polymer gels.
- San Francisco Police Arrest Youths for Attacking Asians, by East West staff, page 2. Three high school students were arrested and charged with assault and robbery after a group of Black youths attacked eight Asian students getting off a bus in San Francisco. A reverend who helped the victims criticized police for initial inaction before a plainclothes operation led to the arrests.
- Supporter of Redress Defeated in New York Congressional Election, by New York Nichibei, page 7. Democrat George Hirsch, who had pledged support for redress legislation, lost his bid to represent New York’s 15th District to incumbent Republican Bill Green. Hirsch had previously expressed full support for a national apology and monetary compensation for Japanese American internees.
- March Fong Eu Continued: Recovery and Reflection on Crime, page 7. California Secretary of State March Fong Eu continued to recover from her attack, receiving an outpouring of support including letters and gifts. She reflected on the broader issue of crime and drug abuse, expressing hope to resume her normal workload soon.
- ABC’s ‘Our World’ to Include Segment on Internment of JAs, page 8. ABC News series ‘Our World’ will air a segment on the WW2 internment of Japanese Americans, featuring interviews with Mike Masaoka and Robert Moteki. The program, originally scheduled for Nov. 13, was rescheduled due to preemption by a presidential speech.
Obituaries
- Jack Ozawa, Philadelphia JACL President, Dies at 63, page 2. Longtime JACL member Jack Kunio Ozawa died suddenly at age 63 while serving his second term as Philadelphia Chapter JACL president. He had a long history of JACL leadership roles and community service, including work with the Pan Asian Association of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Redress Committee.
Community
- Calif. Arts Council Asian Cultural Organizations Receive Grants, page 2. The California Arts Council awarded $1,705,878 in grants to 116 county organizations, including several Asian American community organizations such as Visual Communications and the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center. The grants aim to strengthen artistic and administrative capabilities of organizations statewide.
- Americans for Fairness Sacramento Redress Event Set for Nov. 27, page 7. A Japanese American Redress Event featuring actress Kim Miyori and actor Lane Nishikawa will be held in Sacramento, with proceeds going toward redress lobbying and education. Representatives Robert Matsui and Norman Mineta are scheduled to provide updates on congressional redress efforts.
Military & Veterans
- Monument to Nikkei Veterans Dedicated in Little Tokyo, page 3. About 250 people attended the dedication of the Nikkei Veterans Monument in Little Tokyo Square, a sculpture depicting a torch based on the 100th Battalion emblem. Speakers noted the irony of honoring Japanese American WW2 veterans while also remembering the incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans during the same war.
Commentary
- Decreasing the Deficit, page 4. National JACL Secretary-Treasurer discusses the organization’s cash flow deficit of approximately $125,000, attributing it to an advance to LEC, dropping membership revenues, and unbudgeted expenses. The author outlines steps being taken to reduce the deficit and increase revenue through a new funding diversification committee.
- Good Night, Sweet Prince, by Grayce Uyehara, page 4. LEC Executive Director Grayce Uyehara pays tribute to Minoru Yasui, recalling his dedication to the JACL redress effort despite his declining health. She describes his tireless advocacy for constitutional rights and his role as a spiritual leader of the redress movement until his death.
- Statement from JACL President Harry Kajihara, by Harry Kajihara, page 4. JACL President Harry Kajihara expresses condolences to Minoru Yasui’s family, praising his courage in challenging the government’s WW2 curfew order. He states Yasui will be remembered as devoting his life to equality and justice for all Americans.
- A Charitable Deduction, by Harry Honda, page 4. The article discusses tax advice encouraging taxpayers to accelerate charitable deductions following new tax reform legislation. It notes the JACL/Pacific Citizen Typesetter Fund has reached $37,000, close to its $40,000 goal, and requests donations.
Thank you for exploring the Pacific Citizen archive. The title, introduction and contents on this page were written by an AI model from scans of the printed issue, so they may contain mistakes. If you spot one, we would be grateful if you let us know.